New Ark Servers Discussion Thread

While an Extinction server is already guaranteed to be added when released, I'm looking into the addition of another Ark server to our cluster. Having a donor only server has been appealing for a couple of years now, we just haven't had the resources to make one without losing access to something elsewhere. Now that we have more RAM to work with this is currently what I'm considering:

- Converting the Scorched Earth server into a donor only server. This is our least populated/popular map, but it's an official map, has been running for several years, and has a very low server resource footprint. If converted to donor only, I would also spice up the server with some more perks such as having S+ dino locations turned on.

- Adding a new modded map with a twist. The map would be an anything goes PvP server where the wipe rules would not apply. I'm play testing The Volcano and ISO Crystal Isles on a test server right now. The current thought is that the server would have advantageous rates and other unique capabilities, only characters can transfer to the server, items/dinos/characters can transfer out, and many other settings tweaked to allow for a 'wild wild west' style of a server.

If you have suggestions, objections, or anything in between feel free to post some replies and get some conversation going about what we can do to improve our Ark cluster.

I've setup a test server that will be hosting various maps for exploring and play testing to see what map(s) could be viable for HappyDiggers. VIPs and Staff members that are interested can post here and let me know if they want to be whitelisted. Though the test server is on the cluster, no uploads or downloads will be permitted.

Cent 1) Isn't SE necessary to obtain all TEK engrams? If yes, converting it to donor only will spoil the game for non-donors...

Cent 2) Personally, I would like a) a new map, I know SE like the back of my hand, b) I wouldn't play on an aggressive PvP at all. My fondest wish is to have at least one HD server (not necessarily the donor one) as a strict PvE. I don't know how many users feel the same, but for me the fun is in raising dinos and conquering the environment, not in worrying what will happen to my base when I'm offline. The current servers, while PvP, are rather peaceful, so that was the reason I stayed for as long as I did.

I know I don't play right now. I would like to return one day (it looks like maybe I could, come Christmas). With new tek rexes I will need to restart my breeding program anyway, so there is still a lot of fun waiting for me

You arent quite right Chogata, SE has nothing you cant get on the other servers (only exception: phoenix, but its a prestige dino only).

Also about the PVE aspect, the current servers are so peacefull its almost only pve (tell me the times you saw smb talking about a done/current raid, i promise you you can count it on your hand). By bringing in a server with actuall pvp we can probably appeal to more players, exspecially since most people know that many people on the servers are allied which decreases pvp even more to almost 0%.

Currently, there is only dino breeding for lategame players like myself, i go on, hatch the eggs i got from my hatchery, see if i got a dino with higher lvl than usuall, if yes i bring it to the nanny and log off, if not, i just log off. There is nothing to do when you have much progress.
Thats why PvP is there to make the game more challenging and exciting.

there is one issue lets say we do make one server pve, a raider might take advantage of pve server to go into pvp server to raid and come back to pve with raid spoils he got from someone's base. And that player would not worry about being raided. Unless Jiro makes it so we cant transfer items to pve server, this way a raider cant take advantage to hide in pve server, and must face the person who finds out who did it.

I do think the donor server would be by far safest than any other maps, most of the donor people we know are the ones we can trust.

And i do like the idea of SE becoming donor map. We just have to make sure the people who are currently logged off their main characters in SE will have a chance to pack their belonging and dinos to move to their main base on another map.

1) If PvP is donor only, it won't bring that many new players. Ask J how many donors are there in total. So it would be more of a playground for current players to start serious warfare But if this is what everybody wants (except me ), then that's what should be done.

2) PvE server would have to be character-only transferable, same as agressive PvP. Any server with significantly "different" rules that the whole cluster would have to be character-only transferable, otherwise it would get misused.

I disagree if you make all servers characters transferable only, then i will not be bale to bring my own artifact to use in another map, i will have to go and hunt each map to get artifacts so i could do the boss there.

Also Jiro, someone disagree about making SE donor only, reason is why make SE map donor only for something that people have paid for. and he says make Ragnarok donor only. As it was created for people to get SE things easy except the phoenix. reason : " its easier to obtain everything there"

I strongly object making a map that is a PAID DLC a donor only map, it's like telling people, oh you bought this, well pay more.

Donor maps should offer seclusion and motivate people to pay for access. SE does neither of those things as it offers nothing that doesnt exist on other maps and only limits access to a product that people bought.

Many will dislike this but i would strongly suggest making access to THE CENTER/RAGNAROK(created so people dont have to buy SE it is literally a way to get wyverns without having SE), limited to donors only, considering Ragnarok is very highly populated i know many would object, but that map is so over saturated that it even has performance issues. It will benefit the most from the donor only access as it also provides very easy to defeat bosses which make it even more lucrative(alongside piles of easily obtainable loot and farmable minibosses).

If you would completely disregard the idea about Ragnarok, then i still suggest THE CENTER as a donor only map, it will not limit access to anything and provide a map that is going to be fresh and ripe for the taking so many would be tempted to donate just to be able to establish a base of operations there

I understand most would disagree as they already have massive bases on Ragnarok, but if you want to keep the server as great as it is at least do not limit access to something the people bought with money like SE.

I disagree if you make all servers characters transferable only, then i will not be bale to bring my own artifact to use in another map, i will have to go and hunt each map to get artifacts so i could do the boss there.

Not all servers. Just the one that has different rules than all the others, be it PvE one or agressive PvP one. Jiro suggested it himself, probably for the same reason I stated.